Exterior sliding shutter with interior control



Feb. 10, 1970 J. w. MEDDICK 3,494,073

EXTERIOR SLIDING SHUTTER WITH INTERIOR CONTROL Filed Jan. 23, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet l JOHN W. usomck ATTORNEY INVENTORI Feb. 10, 1970 J. w. MED'DlC-K 3, 9

EXTERIOR SLIDING SHUTTER WITH INTERIOR CONTROL Filed Jan. 23. 1968 5 SheetS SIieet 2 3; i w w INVENTORI JOHN WMED ATTORNEY {FIG-4 Feb. 10, 1970 J. W. MEDDICK Filed Jan. 23. 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 w- \mi 4? Z I a F"? 1 I i 5 l L l l I If 6 sfy 35 INVENTOR:

JOHN W MEDD/(K ATTORNEY Feb. 10, 1970 J. w. M EDDICK 3,

EXTERIOR 51.1mm sxwmm wmn INTERIOR CONTROL Filed Jan. 23, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 MENTOR vuomv m moo/(K ATTORNEY Feb. 10, 1970 J. w. MEDDICK 3,494,073

EXTERIOR SLIDING SHUTTER WITH INTERIOR CONTROL- Filed Jan. 23, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 JOHN W. MED/("fig ATTORNEY us. c1. 49 12s United States Patent 3,494,073 EXTERIOR SLIDING SHUTTER WITH INTERIOR CONTROL John W. Meddick, Weston, Conn., assignor to Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation, a corporation of Virginia Filed Jan. 23, 1968, Ser. No. 699,946 Int. Cl. E0515 11/04; E06b 7/082 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The instant disclosure teaches a sliding shutter structure particularly adapted for use in private dwellings, apartment houses, hotels, and the like characterized by a sliding mechanism for opening and closing the shutters with all movement controlled by a small handle inside the building structure and with all moving parts being concealed.

Window shutters have found extensive and long use in a wide variety of building structures, such as private dwellings, apartment houses, hotels, and the like. Window shutters are partly ornamental and partly protective in function. The protective nature of the window shutters is mitigated to a large extent by the necessity of opening and closing the shutters from the exterior of the building structure. This is often particularly difficult and inconvenient to do.

Thus, it is a particular object of the present invention to provide a shutter mechanism which opens and closes from the interior of the building structure.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a shutter structure as aforesaid which is simply and conveniently operated.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a sliding shutter wherein all moving parts are concealed and weather protected.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinafter.

The shutters of the present invention will be more readily apparent from a consideration of the drawings which form a part of the present specification wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of the shutters of the present invention in the open position;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the shutters of the present invention in the closed position;

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the frame and shutters disassembled for ease of understanding;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view along the line IV-IV of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view along the line VV of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view along the line VI-VI of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a view of the pulley and cable arrangement;

FIGURE 8 is a partial side sectional view showing the pulley arrangement in conjunction with the handle structure; and

FIGURE 9 is a front view of an alternate embodiment, showing the frame and shutters disassembled for ease of understanding.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows the sliding shutters 1 of the present invention in the open posi tion aflixed to a window frame 2 on the side of a building 3 and FIGURE 2 shows the same shutters 1 in the closed position. It should be noted that in both the open and closed positions all moving parts on which shutters 1 slide are not visually apparent from the front. The ex- 3,494,073 Patented Feb. 10, 1970 act mechanism on which shutters I slide will be apparent from a consideration of FIGURES 3 through 8.

Referring to FIGURE 3 the window frame is circumscribed by vertical members 4 and 5 and horizontal members 6 and 7, with the vertical members 4 and 5 being afiixed to the building structure by any desired means such as screws, not shown, and the horizontal members 6 and 7 being affixed to the vertical members 4 and 5. The vertical and horizontal members are most conveniently preassembled as a frame and subsequently attached to the building structure.

Both the vertical members 4 and 5 and the horizontal members 6 and 7 take the form of channeled members and are preferably aluminum extrusions. The channels provide the necessary locus for the moving parts on which the shutters slide and provide weather protection for the moving parts within the aluminum frame.

As can be clearly seen in FIGURES 4, 5, and 6, horizontal support members 6 and 7 are identical and are generally H-shaped members with at least two channels therein. Vertical support member 5 is a generally L-shaped support member and vertical support member 4 is a relatively wide, generally O-shaped support member that also serves as a housing for the shutter slide control mechanism.

As clearly shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, two pairs of pulleys 8 and 9 are fixedly mounted in the extreme upper and lower end, respectively, of vertical support member 4 and two single pulleys 10 and 11 are fixedly mounted in the extreme upper and lower end of the vertical support member 5.

Also mounted in vertical support member 4, for example, in the lower portion thereof, is the cable driving mechanism which consists of drive wheel 12, idler wheel 13 spaced from drive wheel 12, and crank 14 operatively connected to drive shaft 15. Drive shaft 15 preferably passes through building 3 into the interior thereof as shown in FIGURE 8 so that crank 14 may be readily and conveniently operated from the interior of the building structure.

Cable 16 is strung around drive wheel 12 and idler 13 and around pulleys 8, 9, 10, and 11 as shown in FIG- URE 7 with the two ends thereof connected to opposite ends of spring 17 to maintain tension in the cable driving means.

Thus, when crank 14 is roated, motion is transmitted to cable 16 via the cable driving mechanism.

Means are then provided for operatively engaging shutters 1 with cable 16 in order to propel shutters 1 from the open to the closed position as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 via a sliding action. For example, studs 18, 19, 20, and 21 wherein one end of each stud is tightly and fixedly crimped around cable 16 and the other end is operatively connected to shutters 1 via a mechanism to be described hereinafter.

Thus, the motion of the cable is transmitted to the shutters and propels the shutters from the open to the closed position or vice versa, as desired.

Referring to FIGURE 6, the back of each shutter 1 has affixed thereto upper bracket 22 and lower bracket 23 by any convenient means such as screws 24, 25, 26, and 27. Upper forward outrigger 2-8 is connected to upper bracket 22 via bolt 29 and thence to movable wheel 30 via bolt 31 and washers 32.

Lower forward outrigger 33 is afiixed to movable wheel 34 via bolt 35 and washers 36. The connections on the upper left of one shutter are the same as the connections on the lower right of the other shutter.

Studs 18 and 20 are connected to outriggers 28 and 33 via bolting means, and studs 19 and 21 are connected to the outriggers on the top and bottom of the rearward shut- .3 I ter which are the mirror images of the outriggers shown in FIGURE 6.

Thus, it can be seen that when crank 14 is rotated from the interior of the house, the motion is transmitted to cable 16 via the cable driving mechanism which in turn transmits the desired opening and closing motion to the shutters.

A second embodiment of the present invention includes at least one additional shutter mounted within the frame means.

FIGURE 9 is a front view of the frame and shutters disassembled for ease of understanding.

Referring to FIGURE 9, the window frame is circumscribed by vertical members 37 and 38 and horizontal members 39 and 40, with the vertical members 37 and 38 being affixed to the building structure by any desired means such as screws and the horizontal members 39 and 40 being affixed to the vertical members 37 and 38. Said vertical and horizontal members are most conveniently preassembled as a frame and subsequently attached to the building structure.

Both the vertical and the horizontal members take the form of channeled members and are preferably aluminum extrusions. The channels provide the necessary locus for the moving parts on which the shutters slide and provide weather protection for the moving parts within the aluminum frame as in the first embodiment.

As can be clearly seen in FIGURE 9, the horizontal members extend beyond the vertical members to about the length of the shutter panel width. The drive means is identical as in the first embodiment, as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, and is mounted similarly with the pulleys attached at the extreme upper and lower ends, respectively, of vertical support members 37 and 38.

The present embodiment is intended primarily for use on double window applications where more than two panels are required. For example, when opened, two shutters are over one another in a vertical plane at each end of the frames so that there appears to be one pair. The inside two panels 41 (closest to the building structure) have mounting brackets 42 and sliding member 43 and wheels 44 attached. The outside panels 45 have hangers 46 attached, and a stilfening angle, not shown, inside the panel.

Two wheels 47 are mounted to these hangers at the top of each panel and two wheels, not shown, are also mounted at the bottom of each panel. These panels are slid into the track assemblies.

Inside shutter stops 48 are mounted on the vertical members 37 and 38 of the frame to limit the travel of the inside shutters. Likewise outside shutter stops 49 (only one of which is shown) are mounted to the inside panels so as to limit the travel of the outside shutters. In addition, they allow the outside shutters to drag the inside shutters back and forth as the cable 16 is attached to the outside shutters only. By this means, the shutters when closed are in a side by side position, and when open are positioned over one another in a vertical plane at each end of the frame.

Thus, it can be seen that when crank 14 is rotated from the interior of the house, the motion is transmitted to cable 16 via the cable driving mechanism which in turn transmits the motion to shutters 45 via shutter drive means which in turn transmits the desired opening and closing motion to shutters 45. Shutters 45, upon opening and closing, in turn transmit the desired opening and closing motion to additional shutters 41.

The numerous advantages of the shutter sliding mechanism of the present invention are readily apparent. All movement may be controlled by a small handle or other suitable means from within the building structure. All moving parts are concealed and weather protected. Furthermore, the construction of the present invention is simple, convenient to use and easy to install.

If desired, a drip cap attached to the building structure and extending outwardly over the shutters may be provided which not only would deflect ice and snow away from the sliding shutters but would also add a measure of esthetic value.

If desired, the shutters and the vertical and horizontal members may be made of weather resistant aluminum constmction.

This invention may be embodied in other forms or carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present description is therefore to be considered as in all respects illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A frame and shutter arrangement comprising:

(a) a frame consisting of two horizontal and two vertical members connected together and attached to a structure immediately adjacent to a window in said v structure;

(b) two spaced apart shutters, each of said shutters having an upper and lower outrigger attached thereto wherein each said outrigger is movably mounted on said horizontal members for movement of each of said shutters in a lateral direction towards and away from one another, said members acting as a guide for said lateral movement; and wherein said upper and lower outriggers of each of said shutters project inwardly towards the window and in a plane parallel thereto when said shutters are in the open position;

(0) drive means operatively connected to said shutters whereby motion upon actuation of said drive means is transmitted to said shutters to effect said lateral movement on said horizontal members,

wherein said shutters are in abutting relationship when in the closed position'and in a spaced apart relationship when in the open position.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said drive means includes a drive mechanism comprising a drive wheel, idler wheel spaced from said drive wheel, drive wheel shaft operatively connected to said drive wheel, and crank operatively connected to said drive shaft.

3. The structure of claim 2, wherein the first of said vertical members houses components of said drive mechanism.

4. The structure of claim 3, further including two pairs of pulleys each of said two pairs of pulleys housed in opposite ends of said first member, and an additional single pulley located at the end of each said horizontal member at a position remote from said two pairs of pulleys.

5. The structure of claim 4, further including a spring and cable, said cable being strung around said pulleys and said drive mechanism, said cable further being attached to each end of said spring, thereby providing a means of transmission of motion within said drive means and further providing tension within said drive means.

6. The structure of claim 5, further including studs operatively connecting said cable to said shutters, thereby providing a means of transmission of motion to said shutters upon actuation of said drive means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,558,719 7/1951 Gea 49-121 2,597,539 5/1952 Smart 49-123 2,808,626 10/ 1957 Sassano 49-1 16 FOREIGN PATENTS 465,396 5/ 1937 Great Britain.

1. KARL BELL, Primary Examiner 

